Emergency release mechanism for exit doors



April 22, 1952 J. H. VAN'DER VEER 2,594,253

- EMERGENCY- RELEASE MECHANISM FOR EXIT DOORS Filed June 11, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 W K-CZMZZL A TORNEY P 22, 1952' J. H. VANDER- VEER 7 2,594,253

EMERGENCY RELEASE MECHANISM FOR EXIT DOORS Filed June 11, 1946 3 SMecs-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY prfil 22, 1952 J. H. VANDER VEER EMERGENCY RELEASE MECHANISM FOR EXIT DOORS Filed June 11, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 &

A ORNEY Patented Apr. 22, 1952 f' UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE/ EMERGENCY R LEASE MECHANISM 'FoR Exrr noons John H. Vander Veer, Westfield} J., assignor,

b'y" mes'ne assignments, to- National Pneumatic Co Inca, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Dela,-

ware- Applica'tio'n June 11 1946, Serial No. 676,024

17 Claims (CL 292"92) 1 This invention relates to emergency release mechanism for exit doors.

On many vehicles now generally usedas public carriers, emergency exits are required. Suitable latching means is necessary to keep the door:

locked until an exit, other than through the usual doors, becomes necessary. The'bar's or rods which usually hold such door in closedposition require such'great force to release the door that the emergency exit function is greatly impaired.

It is an object of the invention to construct mechanism for latching emergency exits for' manipulation without exertion of great strength.

It is generally true that, whenan emergency occurs, an individual may find himself practically paralyzedhis strength dissipated, and hemayfl be unable to perform even the simplest mechanical operation. If, at such-a time, a: erson were able to release, by some simple manipiila tion, a force which previously had been stored up, the effect of such paralysis would, of course,

be minimized. Since an emergency probably would find the ordinary motive power of the vehicle disabled, so that such source of energy could not be relied upon for actuation ofsuch safety means, some simple, separate mechanical means becomes necessary for such circumstances.

It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus for operating emergency exits for such vehicles, wherein the operation is carried on, or is made efiective, by means of mechanism sepa vehicle.

To carry out certain of these purposes, a simple structure is provided for manipulationby a simple handle, so that a very small force may be all that is required to release the devices holding the door in place. This mechanism, onthe other hand, when operated to secure the door in place, is ef-- fective for setting the device to assure immediate response, in emergency, for releasing the door.

It is an object of the invention to provide mechanism, simply constructed and operating by the application of minimum force, which can be placed in motion by the application'of substan-- rate and distinct from the motive means of the rangement of parts, or any specific method of operation or use, or any ofthe various details thereof, even where specifically shown and described herein, as the same may be modified in various particulars, or may be applied in many varied relations, without departing, from the spirit. and scope of the claimed invention, of which the exemplifying embodiment, herein shown and described, is intended only to: be illustrative, and only for the purpose of complying with the requirements. of the statutes; for disclosure of an operative embodimentbut notto show all of the various forms and modifications in-which-the invention might be embodied,

On the drawings, in which the same reference characters refer tothe same parts throughout, and in which is disclosed such a practical con-' struction: g Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a part, of-a ve hicle door and the frame associated therewith, the invention being shown embodied therein, the frame and threshold being shown diagrammatica-lly, and the door being broken away;-

Fig; 2- is atransverse cross-sectional view, to enlarged scale, on the line 22 of Fig; 1,- parts being shown in elevation; V A

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view on the 1 e3+3 a m 2; f

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken transversely through Fig. 2; and I t Fig. 5 is a detail cross-sectional view taken substantiallyon the line 5 5 of Fig. 3;

Qri the drawings, thewa1l ill of a passenger carrying vehicle-or bus has been illustrated. At anopening in the wall an emergency door [4' is hinged. This door is hinged with relation to. a

door frame re and a threshold 8. Suitable means, sucha-sa rubber bumper or stripping" 2'0 may be carried by the door, in overlappingrelaand: 2E may have an enlarged portion 40'. A]

spring. 42 may be retained around the bolt and betweenportionldo and a wall 44 of its housing. With hisarrangementit will be apparent that each spring 42 has atendency" to urge: 'itsassd 3 ciated bolt into locking relationship with its strike or keeper element.

Links 46, 48 and 58 are connected to the respective bolts 24, 26 and 28. The links extend from the bolts, within the space 52 defined by the sheathing 54 and 56 forming the walls of door I4, and into a separate housing 58, retained upon the door. Within the housing, the links have pivotal connection, at regularly spaced radial intervals, with a segment gear 68. Gear 68 is rotatably mounted upon a stud 62 which is fixed in wall 64 of housing 58 in any suitable manner. Stud 62 has an enlarged section 66 including a plurality of slots 68. The gear abuts against section 66; a washer and cotter pin at the free end of the stud serve to retain the segment gear upon the stud.

A spring I8 may be wound helically around section 66. One end I2 of the spring is anchored to stud 62 by being caught in a slot 68. The other end of the spring is anchored to a pin 14 extending from face I6 of ear 68.

Two stops l8 and 88 may be provided, and may take the form of projections from wall 64. These stops extend into the plane of movement of gear 68, and will engage end edges 82 and 84, respectively, of the gear to limit its rotation in either direction. Spring I8 tends normally to bring edge 82 into engagement with stop 18.

Laterally spaced from stud 62, wall 64 is formed to provide a pair of bosses 86 between which is a recess 88, terminating in an opening 98 through the wall. A countersink 92 may be provided on the outer face of wall 64 immediately around opening 98'. A pin or shaft 94 has a reduced end 96 extended through opening 98 and terminating in countersink 92. A notch formed on end 96 cooperates with a split washer sprung over the end to anchor pin 94 against movement out of opening 98. At the same time, the pin is permitted rotational movement in the bearing thus provided.

Intermediately of pin 94 is an enlarged portion 98 having gear teeth for engagement with the teeth of segment gear 68. Beyond portion 98 the pin has a diameter at least as great as the external diameter of the tooth section 98; then the pin terminates in an enlarged end or head I88. A small plate I82 is secured across bosses 86; the pin finds its other bearing in an opening I84 through that plate.

Head I88, which is positioned in front of plate I82, has a slot I86 in its end. On pin 94, between head I88 and plate I82, is received a collar I88. From collar I88, a pair of ears II8 extend downwardly and forwardly and provide means, at their ends, to receive a pivot pin II2. Upon this pin and between ears II8 a handle H4 is pivotally mounted. Handle II4 includes a manipulating section H6, extending in one direction from pin H2, and a finger II8 extending in the other direction. Finger I I8 is of a width to fit snugly in slot I86. As shown in dotted lines on'Fig. 4, handle II4 may be moved into such position that finger H8 is engaged in slot I86; or it may be swung around pin II2 so that section H6 is housed within housing 58, as shown in full lines, and finger I I8 is disengaged from the slot.

The handle, when finger H8 is engaged in the slot, may be used to rotate portion 98, engaged with gear 68, to wind up spring 18. As portion 98 is rotated to wind up spring 18, gear 68 also is rotated, and causes links 46, 48 and 58 to move for proper actuation of bolts 24, 26 and 28 with relation to their respective strikes 38, 32 and 34.

Spring I8 preferably is wound up to a minimum tension to assure that gear 68 will at all times have sufficient potential energy to actuate the bolts with relation to their respective strikes.

Extending downwardly from the lower boss 86 is a transverse bearing or bracket I28. A pin I22 carried in bracket I28 may provide a bearing for a forked arm I24. One fork I26 of arm I24 may extend upwardly beside and beyond the lower boss 86, and may have a land I28 formed adjacent its end I38. A projection from wall 64 may be defined by means of a pin I32 fixed in the wall. Associated with that projection may be a. projection I34 from the lower section I36 of arm I24. A spring I38 may be carried between pin I32 and projection I34, and may tend normally to press' fork I26 against face I48 of gear 68. Thus, when gear 68 has been rotated to the position where edge 84 engages stop 88, land I28 will be urged beneath edge 82 to retain the gear against reverse movement, when handle H4 is disengaged from slot I86, and spring" might be effective for such reverse movement. Gear 68, under such circumstances, cannot rotate beyond the limit set by engagement of land I28 with edge 82. r

An opening I42 may be provided in wall I44 of housing 58 for access to handle II4. After handle II4 has completed the operation of winding up spring I8 until arm I24 is moved to present land I28 beneath edge 82, handle II4 may be pushed into housing 58 beyond the outer edge I46 ofan escutcheon I48 bounding opening I42. In this position, handle I I4 is just in abutment with lower section I36 of arm I24. 'Also, -in this position, a pane I58 of glass may be retained to cover the opening in escutcheon I48. Suitable means may be provided to facilitate placing and sealing this pane in position. a

A hammer I52, chained to the housing, may be retained in suitable spring clamps I54 positioned, as, for instance, on top of escutcheon I48. In an emergency, hammer I52 may be withdrawn, from the clamps, and used to break pane I58, and thus to provide access to handle H4 and section I36. Then, handle I I4 is merely pushed inwardly, until it engages section I36; then it is pushed further to force the extension further inwardly, as, for instance, towards the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4. Land I28 now will be pushed from under edge 82, and gear 68 will be released so that spring I8 may rotate the gear. Rotation of the gear, under the action of spring 18, will cause the required movement of bolts 24, 26 and 28 with relation to their respective strikes, to remove them and automatically to release the door. It may be desirable to actuate the emergency mechanism from outside of thebus; In such case, section I36 may have a finger I56 extending down into space 52. A window I58, formed by a pane of glass seated in an opening I68 in the outer sheathing 54 of the door, maybe frangible to make finger I56 accessible in-such case. Thus, by breaking window I58, it is possible to reach into space 52 and to actuate finger I56, thus to release gear 68, and to open the door.

It is to be noted that bolt 26 and its link 48 are positively pivoted to each other; bolts 24 and 28 are coupled to links 48 and 58 through a lost motion arrangement consisting of the pin I62 on the bolt engaged in a slot I64 on the link. Thus, link 48 will drive its bolt 26 and its extension 32 into its keeper-positively. Since this is at the lateral edge ofthe door, this position is one which must be maintained closed. As for bolts 24 and 28. when gear 60 has been rotated to drive bolt 26 home, bolts 24 and 28 will be free to move into their respective strikes under the action of their respective springs; the seating of the belts in the strikes will be effected by pushing the top and bottom of the door into position. Dirt in the bottom strike thus will not interfere with the locking of the door between bolt 26 and its strike. However, when gear 69 is released to the action of its spring, all bolts are withdrawn positively from their respective strikes.

Thus, in operation, handle H4 is swung to the dotted line position of Fig. 4. Then, finger I I8 is engaged in slot I85, and fork I26 is pressed against face iii! of gear 60. Handle H4 is Totated to wind up spring 70 until the gear engages stop 83, when land I28 will come to rest under edge 32 of gear 58. This action has driven bolt 26 home, and has released bolts 24 and 28 for movement into their strikes. Handle 4' is now moved to the full line position of Fig. 4, thus disengaging finger H8 from slot IOB, but hot pressing section I38 to release gear 60. Palm I53 and window 158 are now suitably sealed closed, and the vehicle operated in the normal manner. In the event of an emergency, either pane we or window I58 may be broken, either by hammer IE2, or by any other suitable means. In the event pane 150 is broken, handle H4 is pushed further inwardly; in the event window I58 is broken, finger I56 is pulled towards the operator. In either case, gear 6!! is released to retate under the action of the spring until it reaches its stop 78. This movement has withdrawn all bolts from their strikes automatically, and without eiiort on the part of the operator.

Many other changes could be effected in the particular construction, and in the methods of use and construction, and in specific details thereof, hereinbeiore set forth, without substantially departing from the invention defined in the claims, the specific description being merely of an embodiment capable of illustrating certain principles of the invention.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a door latching mechanism, means for retaining the door in closed position, means for actuating the door-retaining means to door-retaining position including a pivoted member, means for limiting movementof the pivoted member, means for making the door-retaining means inefiective, the ineffective-making means including means for automatically storing energy on movement of the pivoted member to one of its limits, and means normally guarded against acoess thereto for releasing the energy-storing means to cause the pivoted member to make the door-retaining means ineffective.

2. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a member for moving the boltin means into and out of latching position, a handle, the handle being mounted for movement into and out of position for actuating the member to move the bolting means to latching position, means for locking the member in latching position and for releasing the member for movement out of that position, and means for guarding the locking means and the handle when the handle has been moved into inefiective position.

3. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a member for moving the bolting means into and out of, latching position, a handle for actuating the member to move the bolting means -to latching position. the handle being movable into and out of actuating position, means for locking the member in latching position and for releasing the member for movement out of that position, the handle, when out of actuating position, and the locking means being substantially in alignment, and means for guarding the locking means and the handle when the handle has been moved out of actuating position.

4. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a member for moving the bolting means into and out of latching position, a handle for actuating the member to move the bolting means to latching position, the handle being movable into and out of actuating position, means for locking the member in latching position and for releasing the member for movement out of that position, the handle, when out of actuating position, and the locking means being substantially in alignment, and means for guarding the locking means and the handle when the handle has been moved out of actuating position and substantially into contact with the locking means.

5. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a member for moving the bolting means into and out of latching position, a handle for actuating the member to move the bolting means to latching position, the handle being movable into and out of actuating, position, means for locking the member in latching position and for releasing the member for movement out of that position, the handle, when out of actuating position, and the locking means being substantially in alignment, and means for guarding the locking means and the handle when the handle has been moved out of actuating position and substantially into contact with the looking means, the locking means being actuated to release the member on further movement of the handle in the direction of movement away from actuating position.

6. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a rotatable member for moving the bolting means into and out of latching position, a handle for rotating the member to move the bolting means to latching position, a limit for movement of the member, means for retaining the member against return movement when moved to said movement limit, the handle. being movable to ineiiective position, and means for guarding the member-retaining means when the member has been moved to the movement limit and the handle when it is in ineffective position. 7

7. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a rotatable member for moving the bolting means into and out of latching position, the member having the form of the sector of a circle, means for rotating the member to actuate the bolting means, means for storing energy on rotation of the member in one direction, a stop to limit rotational movement of the member, means for engaging an edge of the member to retain the member at said limit of movement against movement under the action of the energy-storing means, means for releasing the engaging means, and means for guarding the edge-engaging means when the member has been moved to the movement limit and the handle when it is in ineilective position.

8. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a rotatable memberfor moving the bolting means into and out of 1atching position, the member having the form oithe sector ofv a circle, means 'for rotating the mem her to actuate the bolting means, means for storing energy on rotation of the member in one direction, a stop to limit rotational movement of the member, a retainer, the retainer being mounted for movement transversely of the path of --movement of the member, the retainer providing means for engaging an edge of the member to retain the member at said limit of movement against movement under the action of the energy-storing means, means for releasing the retainer, and means for guarding the retainer when the member has been moved to the movement limit and the handle when it is in ineffective position.

9. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a rotatable member for moving the bolting means into and out of latching position, the member having the form of the sector oi a circle, means for rotating the member to actuate the bolting means, means for storing energy on rotation of the member in one direction, a stop to limit rotational movement of the member, a retainer, the retainer being pivotally mounted for movement transversely of the path of movement of the member and normally being urged against the member, the retainer providing means for engaging an edge of the member to retain the member at said limit of movement against movement under the action of the energystoring means, means for releasing the retainer, and means for guarding the retainer when the member has been moved to the movement limit and the handle when it is in inefiective position.

10. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a segmental gear, the bolting means being connected to the gear, stops for engaging the edges of the gear at limits of its movement, means for rotating the gear including a handle pivoted for movement into and out of operating position, a finger, means to urge the finger normally against the gear, the finger being urged into position beneath one edge of the gear at one limit of movement, means for moving the finger out of position beneath the edge of the gear, and means for guarding the finger-moving means and the handle when it is in inefiective position.

11. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a segmental gear, the bolting means being connected to the gear, stops for engaging the edges of the gear at limits of its movement, means for rotating the gear including a handle pivoted for movement into and out of operating position, a finger pivotally mounted for movement substantially in the same plane as that of movement of the handle into and out of operating position, means to urge the finger normally against the gear, the finger being urged into position beneath one edge of the gear at one limit of movement, means for moving the finger out of position beneath the edge of the gear, and means for guarding the finger-moving means and the handle when it is in inefiective position.

12. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a segmental gear, the bolting means being connected to the gear, stops for engaging the edges of the gear at limits of its movement, means for rotating the gear including a, handle pivoted for movement into and out of operating position, a finger pivotally mounted for movement substantially in the same plane as that of the movement of the handle into and out of operating position, means to urge the finger normally against the gear, the finger being urged into position beneath one edge of the gear at one limit of movement, means for moving the finger out of position beneath the edge of the gear, and means for housing the handle and the finger when the gear has been moved to move the bolting means to latching position.

13. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a segmental gear, the bolting means being connected to the gear, a coiled spring constantly in tension to move the gear to move the bolting means out of latching position, stops for engaging the edges of the gear at limits of its movement, means for rotating the gear including a handle pivoted for movement into and out of operating position, a finger plvotally mounted for movement substantially in the same plane as that of the movement of the handle into and out of operating position, means to urge the finger normally against the gear, the finger being urged into position beneath one edge of the gear at one limit of movement, means for moving the finger out of position beneath the edge of the gear, and means for housing the handle and the finger when the gear has been moved to move the bolting means to latching position.

14. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for latching the door, a segmental gear, means extending from the gear for actuating the bolting means, a coiled spring constantly in tension to rotate the gear to move the bolting means out of latching position, stops for engaging the edges of the gear at limits of its movement, means for rotating the gear including a handle pivoted for movement into and out of operating position, the handle, when out of operating position, being capable of being contained entirely within the housing, a finger pivotally mounted for movement substantially in the same plane as that of the movement of the handle into and out of operating position, means to urge the finger normally against the gear, the finger being urged into position beneath one edge of the gear at one limit of movement, means for moving the finger out of position beneath the edge of the gear, and means for guarding the handle and the finger against unauthorized movement when the gear has been moved to move the bolting means to latching position.

15. In door latching mechanism, bolting means for-latching the door, a segmental gear, means extending from the gear for actuating the bolting means, a coiled spring constantly in tension to rotate the gear to move the bolting means out of latching position, stops for engaging the edges of the'gear at limits of its movement, means for rotating the gear including a handle pivoted for movement into and out of operating position, means including a finger pivotally mounted for movement substantially in the same plane as that of the movement of the handle into and out of operating position, means to urge the finger nor mally against the gear, the finger being urged into position beneath one edge of the gear at one limit of movement, means for moving the finger out of position beneath the edge of the gear, and means for guarding the handle and the finger against unauthorized movement when the gear has been moved to move the bolting means to latching position.

16. Emergency door latching mechanism, including means for retaining the door in closed position, said means being biased to assume a normally inactive position, means for propelling the retaining means to position for retaining the door in closed position, means automatically effective" when the retaining means has been profectve when the retaining means has been propelled to retain the propelling means to prevent return of the retaining means to inactive position, and a handle for the propelling means, the handle being releasable from the propelling means to free the retaining means to be governed solely by the return-preventing means.

JOHN H. VANDER VEER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordjin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 5,557 Reynolds May 9, 1848 721,334 Skidmore et a1 Feb. 24, 1903 M 1,627,728 Conklin May n, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 246,023 Great Britain Jan. 21 1926 

